Saturday, April 24, 2010

BP9_2010043_Web2.0Tool3



As a teacher I often require my students to present their learning in a number of different formats and I am always looking for a new and engaging way for students to get excited about presentations. I have discovered a fun, creative and useful tool to add to my list of possible presentation formats called Glogster. Glogster is a Web 2.0 tool where users can create a multimedia digital poster to present their feelings, moods, and ideas and publish them to the Internet.

Even more exciting is the new Glogster EDU where teachers can incorporate the use of glogs in their classroom to create an interactive learning experience. The site offers two levels of access. The most basic access to Glogster’s web-building tools is free. “The EDU area of Glogster provides classes advertising-free glogs and easy teacher monitoring of student work” (TeachersFirst, 2010, para. 2). After signing up and choosing the number of students in your classroom (only a teacher email is required), Glogster sends the teacher a list of generic usernames and passwords that can be given to students to access the private class site. Both teachers and students can view and comment on classroom glogs. Students can create new or upload existing images, audio files, videos, or grab new from the computer’s webcam or microphone. While teachers might want to address appropriate documentation with students, “the “private” feature enables you to limit access to a glog to your class only, thereby allowing you to even use copyrighted materials under Fair Use” (TeachersFirst, 2010, para. 6).

Outside the EDU section of Glogster, glogs can be shared via a URL on social networking sites or embedded in a wiki or blog.

TeachersFirst article on Glogster EDU http://www.teachersfirst.com/single.cfm?id=4733



5 comments:

  1. I love that they have a teacher monitor portion. Nice way to complete group projects. Also addresses the privacy info. for the students. Love that. I also like they can use it to work at school and at home. Looks like a great site for project based learning.

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  2. Sally, This sounds like something my 8th graders would really enjoy using. I love the fact that you only need a teacher email, that will help with the limitations I have about sites that require a student's email. I also like that it is easy for teachers to monitor and students can access from home and not just school.

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  3. Sally, what a great find! This looks like a very creative and inspiring way for students to show off what they have learned. I can see how this could also be helpful for my future educational endeavors. While educating educators in using technology in their classrooms and doing so more creatively, this could be a useful medium for them to show and practice their creativity. Thank you for sharing your thoughts.

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  4. Sally-- I still am loving this! It's wonderful :) The students don't have to buy any materials but can instead focus on the art of creating something that is theirs! Great GLOGSTER too :)

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  5. This is just too much fun! This is a fantastic tool for any level of student. In fact having a tool to create interactive layouts to communicate their ideas is something that all students should start utilizing. The integration of video is cool with this, I wonder if you can create quizzes where the students click on a button about a subject, that then turns into a filmed question that you have created. I'm about to get carried away, but thank you for bringing the Glogger to my attention.

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